Born in Brooklyn, Drake worked in the back of a Dugan's Donut truck for a dollar-a-day salary while he was in high school. At the age of 17, he contributed art to Popular Detective, Popular Sports and other pulps. Entering the comic book field as artist, letterer and writer, he became friends with cartoonist Bob Lubbers, who later suggested he draw newspaper comics.[2]

He studied for two years at New York's Art Students League. In the Pacific during World War II, he did PR work for Stars and Stripes. Returning to civilian life, he went into advertising, eventually heading a studio of 12 illustrators.[2] Drake was a passenger during the September 1956 automobile accident that killed his fellow cartoonist Alex Raymond.[3]

Drake drew comic books for Marvel Comics such as The Pitt. Internationally, he is known for the artwork on the Kelly Green series of graphic novels about a young widow who fights crime in the manner of an action hero. This series was written by Leonard Starr. It was serialized in Pilote magazine in black and white before being collected in color albums by the French firm Dargaud International Publishing.
An avid golfer, Drake created illustrations for Golf Digest and the book The Touch System for Better Golf.